A well-known and often used adage of life is that "practice makes perfect". In the field of sports, the game of golf offers no exception to this rule. To the contrary, as many golf enthusiasts acknowledge, it takes even more practice to succeed in golf than in many other types of sports. This sentiment results as much from the challenge of successfully striking a golf ball with a golf club as it does from trying to remember all of the steps the golfer is taught, and the proper sequence for completing those steps, to successfully strike the ball.
The game of golf comprehends a number of different types of club swings, including driving, chipping and putting. Proper execution of the swing for each club requires the specific recollection of a separate sequence of steps. For example, in driving a golf ball, a golfer is typically instructed to keep their feet approximately shoulder width apart, back straight, knees flexed, elbows in, and head down during set-up; to keep their head still as they rotate the shoulders, shift their weight to their back foot and bend their arms only slightly, if at all, at the elbow as they draw the club back to the top-of-swing position; and to transfer their weight to their forward leg, rotate their hips and follow through as they strike the golf ball and complete their swing. Some golfers are able to perform this and any golf swing competently from the outset. Other golfers are challenged at the outset but can achieve success at least in one phase of their game. For a handful of others, however, the challenge of coordinating these efforts for each of the different strokes in golf is so completely overwhelming that they give up the game without ever having had a real chance to master it.
Advocates of the game have produced a number of devices to assist the golfer in overcoming the difficulties they encounter in their golf game and further encourage the popularity and playability of the sport. Several of these devices have been developed particularly to help the golfer focus on perfecting their golf swing. Typical of the art are those devices disclosed in the following U.S. patents:
______________________________________ Pat. No. Inventor(s) Issue Date ______________________________________ 5,288,074 R. S. Scheurer Feb. 22, 1994 5,591,090 D. Kauffman, jr. Jan. 7, 1997 5,672,115 R. D. Sanchez, et al. Sep. 30, 1997 5,762,565 J. D. Milam, et al. Jun. 9, 1998 ______________________________________
The '074 patent issued to Scheurer discloses a device for improving a golfer's swing by restricting the motion of their hips with relation to their shoulders, thereby increasing the differential angle between their shoulder rotation and hip-turn. The Scheurer device provides a support affixed on one end to a flat base and a contoured member positioned on the support end opposite the base to receive the hips of the golfer and pivot along a defined horizontal plane to limit the movement of the golfer's hips during a golf swing. The '090 patent issued to Kauffman discloses a device which controls hip movement during a golf swing by providing a stand mounted knee support for receiving the knee of the rear leg of the golfer as they practice their swing. The '115 patent issued to Sanchez, et al., discloses a device which includes a waist tether and a tee platform that cooperatively correct a golfer's swing by providing audio and visual feedback when their movement exceeds fixed parameters. The '565 patent issued to Milam describes a training device which teaches a proper golf swing by measuring the golfer's hip movement during the swing process. The Milam device includes a base which is contoured to receive the heel of a golfer's lead foot and a stand pivotally attached to the base. The base includes a contact point for the golfer's hips and an indicator positioned near the base for noting the degree of displacement of the stand caused by the golfer's hip as the golfer performs their golf swing.
None of the devices in the art discloses a golf swing training device which moves with the golfer throughout their golf swing to make them aware of their body position at each point of their swing, and simultaneously allows the golfer's hips to make a lateral move towards the target area during the downswing and follow through. Nor do any devices in the art provide a golf swing trainer which is laterally displaceable to enable the golfer to practice a full range of each of their golf swings. None of the devices in the art disclose a golf swing trainer which is retractable to enable the golfer to repeat their golf swing quickly and easily to develop their golf swing memory. Nor do any of the devices enable the golfer to practice each of the different swings in their golf game, including driving, chipping, and putting. Moreover, several of the devices in the art are ineffective memory trainers as they rely on reenforcement mechanisms, such as audio and/or visual signals, which are unavailable to the golfer when they actually engage in a game of golf. To the extent that the golfer is trained to rely on such mechanisms to effectively perform their swing, and they are unavailable on a golf course, training by means of such devices will likely impede their progress and performance.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to enable a golfer to better their golf swing by using a device that heightens their awareness of their body position and movement throughout their golf swing, while allowing the golfer to make a natural, lateral move towards the target during the downswing and follow through.
It is also an object of this invention is to provide a golf swing trainer that assists the golfer in properly aligning their body with respect to the golf ball during address, assists them in controlling their hip movement on take away and in initiation of their swing, and assists them in controlling their head movement throughout the swing process.
Another object of this invention to provide a golfer with a swing training device in which provides a constant memory shaping feedback with a minimum of distraction.
A further object of this invention is to provide a golf swing trainer which allows a golfer to train their swing memory for each style of swing in their golf game, including driving, chipping and putting, using a single swing training device.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a golf swing trainer which automatically resets and permits the golfer to repeat their golf swing without interruption.
Moreover, it is an object of this invention to provide a golf swing trainer which permits the golfer to enjoy an unimpeded full range of motion during the practice of a golf swing such that a realistic golf swing memory is created.